How to re-install SH4! Also Vista Installation Tips

[AVGWarhawk]

If you are having trouble installing/reinstalling SH4 and looking to call UBI all sorts of bad names as a result, please follow the instructions below:

For SH4 and Vista Installation, click this link here.






Anyway, here's what you do...virtually guaranteed (Well, I can't really say that... it's at your own risk, of course):

FIRST, create a System Restore Point. This is easy, accessible through Control Panel or simply by directly Running "System Restore" and the process is also described/accessed in any Windows OS Help section. Then follow the Steps below:

It is assumed that you have encountered the Installation(Re-installation) problem/weirdness subsequent to your having attempted/completed an SH4 Uninstall(Program removal) using the Control Panel option. It is even likely that the Uninstall/Removal operation, itself, caused the registry problem. In any event, if you have not already done so, copy/backup your MOD folders/sub-folders/files...and Sound\Gramaphone files/music, etc, to a new/separate location on your Drive(s). Then, go to Control Panel and Uninstall your SH4 program(s) showing there. after you have done that, follow the steps below:


1. On your C:\ drive, using Explorer/MyComputer delete manually all remaining SH4 folders and files, including the SH4 folder in your Desktop\Documents folder.
[[Needless to say, before you delete your SH4 files, backup/copy any possible remaining folders/files of your stuff like MOD folders/files...Sound\Gramaphone files/music, etc. You can then simply place those back into your SH4 once you are up and running again after a fresh install....Some people also recommend copying over (backing up) the Saved Game files from the Documents\SH4\ folder and attempt to put them back into the final Re-Installed Game...or even to skip the step entirely and leave the Documents\SH4 folder untouched; I have no experience with that, so it's your call if you want to try that.]] Personally, I also delete all JSGME folders/files at the same time.

2. Special Caution: While it is possible to follow step by step instructions in order to edit the registry, the first precaution necessary, prior to even attempting to make alterations, is to ensure that you have a current backup of the registry, either as a full backup or a backup of the respective registry hive.[Don't worry about this term] Should disaster strike and a registry edit go wrong you will, at least, have a working backup with which to replace the damaged registry.
To backup the registry proceed as follows:
1/ Click Start
2/ From the menu click Run
3/ In the Run dialog box type: regedit (Or, in other words, Run/Open "regedit.exe" which is located in your C:\windows root directory).
4/ The Windows registry Editor will now open
5/ Click the File option on the main toolbar and, from the drop down menu, select Export
6/ In the Export Registry File dialog box select All
7/ Now name the file
8/ Finally click the Save button
9/ To return the registry back to its original state should something go wrong, simply click on the File option on the main registry editor toolbar and then select Import.


3. Now, in the Registry, go to the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Curr entVersion\Uninstall{{0D005F09-A5F4-473B-A901-5735C6AF5628} key. [This was the designation associated with SH4 version 1.4] Delete that key (looks like a file/folder).

4. You can also, in addition, go to the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Ubisoft folder and delete all the Silent Hunter folder(s) there......you will have one or two or more. These don't seem to have any direct effect, but you can do without them. I'd say get rid of them. I did. [Note that it is this entry which identifies the specific designation of the associated key/file which you should delete from the previously mentioned HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Curr entVersion\Uninstall folder]


5. Exit/close Regedit.

6. Re-boot your 'Puter.

7. Install SH4 1.0 from your DVD.

I'd reboot again just for the heck of it.

8. Download and install the Patch 1.4. (This step may be skipped if you do not want to install a separate SH4 1.4 version on your hard drive. If that is the case, proceed to Step #10)

9. Reboot the PC. (If you do want a separate install of the SH4 1.4 version, copy your SH4 1.4 Folder(s) to a new location on your hard drive...before proceeding).


10. Install Patch 1.5, (UBOAT Addon), if you wish. (Patch 1.5 can be installed directly over SH4 1.0 or over 1.4)

11. Reboot the PC.

12. Download/reinstall JSGME. Do the setup, being sure to include taking the "Snapshot" of your clean install.

13. Run/Play your default install to see that it all works.

14. Copy back all your previously saved MOD folders into your new MOD folder, copy back all your previously saved music files into your "...Data\Sound\Gramaphone" folder, etc etc.

15. Enable selected MODs with JSGME.

You should be good to go!

Instuctions provided by Dolittle. He did more than do little.
__________________

[Rockin Robbins]

Just about every time SH4 starts acting squirrely on us (technical term for unascribed anomalies) the solution can be found in Doolittle81's post: Total uninstall and clean reinstall. These are very complete step by step instructions to accomplish that.

Three times I have had problems ranging from squirrely keys:p to CTDs. All three times this fixed it. If you are having weird problems happening, please believe that Silent Hunter 4, either 1.4 or 1.5 is a very stable game with very few fatal errors. Most of us have run it for months without freeze-ups or CTDs.

Please try Doolittle's procedure before you ask for help. I'll bet you won't have to!

[d5j55]

that exact thing just happened to me not to long ago

[Hackett]

I posted an almost exact problem not a week ago. Didn't get a response, and a search failed to locate Doolittle81's or this post about it.

Thanks to AVGWarhawk for this solution. Even though not my exact problem, did fix the problem as a whole, and now I'm happily back patrolling the Pacific.

[ChanceBS]

After install of 1.4 trigger maru overhaul I get a error after sim loads. Missing file STRATEGICRED.DDSAny ideas where to find this file are welcome.only mods used on 1.4 are Captain Mids news and tigger maru overhaul for 1.4.

[Rockin Robbins]

Originally Posted by Hackett

I posted an almost exact problem not a week ago. Didn't get a response, and a search failed to locate Doolittle81's or this post about it.

Thanks to AVGWarhawk for this solution. Even though not my exact problem, did fix the problem as a whole, and now I'm happily back patrolling the Pacific.

This thread needs to be retitled to "First solution to unexplained crashes, missing files, squirrely behavior." Then people would know where to look. I always use Google's site search function over the website search routine.

[kiwi_2005]

A very good program i use is 'Uninstaller 2008', cleans out everything even making sure all files in the registery are uninstalled - displays what files its about to uninstall in the registry and has a backup feature just incase it goes all wrong, but ive been using this program for a few months now without any problems. For instance last time i uninstalled SH4 i use the windows add/remove option then i load uninstaller 2008 to check for any files left over from SH4, it found some in the windows folder, the sh4 folder in my documents and registry files.

[rhohltjr]

Originally Posted by Rockin Robbins

...This thread needs to be retitled to "First solution to unexplained crashes, ...

Finally! My unexplained crashes drove me to completely uninstall SHIV and not reinstall it. I must not have been the only one suffering through this...(well, while SHIV was still on the HD) . Are there any bug fixes in the 1.5 thing?

[I'm goin' down]

It worked for me!

[Rcsubs]

I am having trouble reinstalling SH4, I followed all the instructions listed and I can not find the hot key uninstall entry to delete( HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Curr entVersion\Uninstall{{0D005F09-A5F4-473B-A901-5735C6AF5628} key, the only HKEY entry that I can find even close to SH4 is for SHIII. I have removed all directorys and or files relating to SH4, the weired thing is I incert the SH4 dvd/cd and nothing happens, I can not access the software disk at all, it is like the drive is empty. I am running windows xp sp, nvidia video card.

Does SH4 have some kind of software protection program that was installed during the sh4 game install???

Help please!!!
Darrell

[Munchausen]

When I uninstalled the original game, updated to 1.4, I used the game's uninstall option ... not the basic Windows "Add or Remove" in Control Panel. During the process, the hot key in the uninstall section of the registry was also deleted.

I then installed the Gold version. Oddly enough, when I tried multiplayer, the log-on screen still reflected the key code from my original game. Ergo, somewhere, somehow, the old game left its mark. I suspect that, if it left one mark, it might have left other remnants of itself ... maybe even a bit of copy protection.

Other game options are borked. Against my better judgement, I'm now forced to use a registry cleaner in hopes of recovering those options. But, before you do the same, I'd suggest testing your DVD on a different computer.

[I'm goin' down]

I followed the original post re reinstalling. It worked fine.

Also, you may want to type "prefetch" in the run dialogue box and hit the run button. Mark all of files that appear with Control A. Then delete them. I was told by an expert that the prefetch folder contains bits and pieces from old files that can slow down a computer.

[Rcsubs]

I have done everything that I can think of to get my game reinstalled, still no go. I also removed all entries made by gameshadow and after removing most of gameshadow I was able to access the game disk one time and I tried to install the game, the installation failed, since that install attempt I have been unable to access the disk. I just ran prefetch and found 1 entry referring to sh4 and I deleted it, I did not find any entries about gameshadow, of course any entry about that program would most likely be all numbers or some off the wall entry so it can not be reconized at first glance. I am certain that my problem is gameshadow, a program that I do not even use, I have found all updates to my games on this forum or some other forum, so gameshadow just takes up space on my computer, space that could be used for something else.
I am still working on my problem, I have also edited my registry, deleted my temp file contents, defragged my hard drives, cleaned out ie cash and so on, nothing has help to fix the problem. My cd/dvd drive works fine because I can access all my other game disk, but I updated the drivers any way..... I am sure that I have missed some entries for gameshadow some where...
Any suggestions?

Darrell

[I'm goin' down]

I am out of suggestions. I consider myself fortunate with my reinstall.

Loved "RED STORM RISING" and love SH3!!
But what about SH4 then.
UBI stopped distributing the game about 2 years ago.
I can't find it anywhere on dvd and can't order it.

So eventually, I must admit, i went illegal. (SH4 is a piece of art)
So a friend of mine downloaded a "post install folder".
So there is no setup file.
It's a 1.1 version and i can't patch it to 1.4.
Says: the game is not installed.
Same problem Hackett had, i pm'd him.
There was a little reg-file where i could adjust my install path, then double click it, but it won't work.
When i look in uninstall info in the registry, there's nothing there off coarse.

Could any of you subsim freaks care to give me some info for registry keys?
Maybe export it, i could adjust install-path and just add it to registry.